Event information

10 November 2020, 16:00-17:30

Downloads

Flyer >

New Report Sheds Light on what Governments, Business and the UN need to do in Conflict-Affected Areas: but what’s Next for this Field?

Event

DRC: Luwowo is one of several validated mining site that respect CIRGL-RDC norms and guaranties conflict free minerals. DRC: Luwowo is one of several validated mining site that respect CIRGL-RDC norms and guaranties conflict free minerals.
Clipboard01       FES Logo       Quaker Logo

‘What is now required is more decisive action to integrate business and human rights into peace and security frameworks’

While it is well documented that the worst forms of business-related human rights abuse tend to happen in conflict-affected contexts, a better understanding of the practical measures that States and business enterprises should take to implement the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN Guiding Principles) to prevent and address business-related human rights abuse in conflict and post-conflict contexts is still needed.

To start addressing this gap, and as part of its mandate to promote the UN Guiding Principles, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights (UN Working Group) launched a project in 2018 and developed recommendations to governments, business actors and the UN system that are now out in a report to the UN General Assembly.

In the report, the UN Working Group identifies and clarifies a range of policies and tools that could be employed in conflict-prone regions to help ensure that business activity does not lead to human rights abuse and in turn stimulate or exacerbate conflict or negatively impact peacebuilding.

This online discussion – co-organized with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the  Quaker United Nations Office – will explore the UN Working Group's findings and identify what is missing from their analysis, where the field should go next and how to move from guidance to action.

Members of the UN Working Group will present their new report, while representatives of Swedwatch and Amnesty International will offer their own reactions to the report. This presentation will be followed by an informal discussion amongst speakers and participants.

WELCOME

  • Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director, Geneva Human Rights Platform and Manager of Policy Studies, Geneva Academy
  • Ira Gibson, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Geneva Office

REPORT PRESENTATION

  • Anita Ramasastry, Project Lead and Chair, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
  • Gerald Pachoud, Project Advisor, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights

MODERATOR

  • Florence Foster, Representative, Peace and Disarmament, Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva

DISCUSSANTS

  • Hannah Peters, Researcher, Swedwatch
  • Patrick Wilken, Arms Control and Human Rights Researcher, Amnesty International

How to Join the Discussion

This event will take online on the platform Zoom.

To follow it, register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Asking Questions to Panelists

Please use the Zoom chat function to ask your questions, the moderator will make a selection of questions at the end of the presentations. There will be no possibility to interact by webcam and microphone in order to avoid connection issues.

Video

 

Opening and presentation of the report by Anita Ramasastry and Gerald Pachoud

In the report, the UN Working Group identifies and clarifies a range of policies and tools that could be employed in conflict-prone regions to help ensure that business activity does not lead to human rights abuse and in turn stimulate or exacerbate conflict or negatively impact peacebuilding.

Interventions by panelists, Hannah Peters (Swedwatch) and Patrick Wilcken (Amnesty international)

Members of the UN Working Group presented their new report, while representatives of Swedwatch and Amnesty International will offer their own reactions to the report.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

SIDS Training GHRP News

Practical Training on Human Rights Council Procedures Strengthens SIDS/LDCs Engagement

21 July 2025

Sixteen diplomats from fifteen Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries participated in a two-day Practical Training on Human Rights Council Procedures.

Read more

Human Rights Tiles News

From Signals to Action: Strengthening the UN's Conflict Prevention Efforts

31 March 2025

Our recent research brief series explores how the United Nations' human rights system can enhance its role in early warning and conflict prevention.

Read more

Digital Globe Event

Information Management & Machine Learning for Human Rights: Digital Transformation in the Public Sector - Workshop at the 2025 LATSIS Symposium

12 September 2025, 13:30-15:30

This interactive, two-part workshop will explore how modern data-science tools – including machine learning and AI – can be leveraged to support the United Nations in promoting and protecting human rights.

Read more

Special Rapporteur Sign Event

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in an Era of Escalating Armed Conflict: Where Can International Human Rights Law Help?

25 September 2025, 18:30-20:00

This evening dialogue will present the publication: International Human Rights Law: A Treatise, Cambridge University Press (2025).

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Neutrotechology Project

Neurotechnology and Human Rights

Started in August 2023

This project addresses the human rights implications stemming from the development of neurotechnology for commercial, non-therapeutic ends, and is based on a partnership between the Geneva Academy, the Geneva University Neurocentre and the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee. 

Read more

Session of a UN Treaty Body Project

Treaty Bodies Individual Communications Procedures

Started in January 2019

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more